Showstopper
by AwfullyAbysmal
Summary: Formerly Trouble Magnet, Jet Pack Guy x Rookie. Hiatus, undergoing revision.
1. Act 1

**Hello, penguins! Why are you here? Are you curious about this story or are you getting ready to flame me? Well, I don't care a single bit. I thought that the Jet Pack Guy x Rookie shippers, wherever they're hiding, need a bit more encouragement. It is okay to ship what you like, okay? Be open! Be brave! Be more active and tell me if you guys actually exist besides that one brave person who wrote a story in a foreign language so I sadly could not read it! ... Be yourself!**

**However, it is not okay to bash someone for liking a ship you dislike. Because of this, please be mature and avoid flaming the ship. Well, as mature as people who play Club Penguin at the age of fifteen are, but whatever. That is beside the point. Fanwars are stupid, so don't start one based on shipping in the poor, innocent Club Penguin fandom. We already had enough wars about Old CP.**

**My rules apply to this fanfic. No weird puffles (cat, dog, rainbow, gold, et cetera), characters may have different personalities, some parties never happened, Aunt Arctic is not the Director, this is humanisation because I cannot for the life of me write in penguin talk, and so on. So with that, please do not mention anything that differs from canon; chances are, I wrote it differently for a reason. Also, I'll refer to Jet Pack Guy as 'Jet', but he still prefers his full codename. It's just more convenient for me, okay?**

**Moving on, Jet Pack Guy and Rookie are hard names to mix. For example (Please don't kill me for this, Cadenky fans, I'm only using your dear ship as an example), Cadence and Franky apparently has a number of ship names: Cadenky, Fradence, Fadence, Canky, and so on. So we either mix the names (Ret? Jookie? Both sound a bit absurd...) or make up some new ones like some other fandoms. I'm leaning towards making up a new name, but I'll debate it later...**

**... Because I want to start the story now. Flame me and I'll use it as fuel for the ship. I'll even declare myself captain of it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Club Penguin, which rightfully belongs to Disney. Anything that happened here is either canon or made up, so do not take this seriously. Characters are either borrowed or made up as well, but all representations are distinct from canon. I own the plot, random role-fulfilling side characters and the self-proclaimed title, 'Captain of the nameless Jet Pack Guy x Rookie Ship'. Don't laugh at me, I wear the title proudly.**

=====[Begin Chapter]=====

Of all the people Jet Pack Guy would've zoned out around, it just had to be Trouble Magnet. In no way was it his fault. He had no idea when it happened, let alone how. Rookie was always the underling: naïve, clumsy, predictable and dim-witted. But despite that, Rookie had positive traits as well: courage, curiosity, benevolence, loyalty and a heart of diamond because gold was just not enough to cut i—

Wait. He was doing it again. Jet teared his eyes away from Rookie, who was fiddling with his shirt. "Hey JPG," Rookie spoke, "I'm bored. How long is the Director going to take?"

In normal cases, Jet would flinch at the nickname and comment how Rookie was too impatient. He only did the first half; the Director was actually taking longer than usual, which surprised and irritated Jet. "I don't know," he admitted. "At least we are on time... Well, I was."

"C'mon, Jet!" said Rookie. Said agent knew what was coming next all too well. "It was—"

"No."

"—just a—"

"Can it."

"—minute. You—"

"Are you even listening?"

"—are really—"

"Another word and—"

"—uptight!" Rookie managed to finish.

He almost said the exact same thing as last time. Before Jet could stand up and somehow injure Rookie while staying under the moderation radar, the screen in front of them buzzed to life and silenced him. He grumpily sat down and waited.

Like always, the screen started as static. It continued that way for a few moments, before it finally cleared to reveal an all-so-familiar silhouette. **_"Greetings, Agent Jet Pack Guy and Rookie,"_** the Director said. Their voice was distorted as always, confusing Jet whenever he attempted to decipher their words. It was not fun.

"Good afternoon, Director," greeted Jet, while Rookie went with a simple "Hi!".

**_"Now, ignoring the fact that I missed the meeting by a few minutes..."_**The Director knew him all too well. Jet could briefly hear the sounds of stifled laughter beside him. **_"... You two may be wondering why I called you here, today."_**

Rookie cocked his head to the side. "I wasn't, but now that you mentioned it... Why did you?" Of course, Jet sighed. Most of the time, Trouble Magnet would follow orders without thinking straight. Sometimes it landed him into unfortunate circumstances, but in some perspectives it could be a little bit admirable. The trust he had for those he believed in had saved— Jet was doing it again!

**_"Well, today I have a special mission for you three."_**At this, the Director laughed a little. If Jet didn't know the Director well, he would think it was an evil laugh. But in hindsight, he later grumbled, it might as well be. **_"Agent Jet Pack Guy, do you remember your resolution earlier this year?"_**

Said agent sat up straighter. "Yes, I do," Jet affirmed. "'Train Rookie to an acceptable level of expertise.' Why do you ask, Director?"

Dodging the question, the Director continued on.**_"Is that the same resolution as last year, and the year before?"_**

"... Yes... But only because I hadn't completed the task," Jet said. He heard Rookie mutter something under his breath, but was unable to hear it.

The Director moved around in their seat.**_"Well, I have a preposition for you two,"_** they said. **_"This is an important mission that requires teamwork. Do you want to—"_**

"Yes!" Rookie exclaimed. Jet face-palmed, wondering why did he develop a... Where was he going with that sentence?

The Director nodded in approval. **_"What about you, Agent Jet Pack Guy?"_**

Said agent sighed, "Director, there are five things I want to point out. One, I'll have to work with Rookie. Two, don't you usually give missions to the new recruits? Three, I'll have to work with Rookie. Four, I have no knowledge of this mission you just threw on us and I'd appreciate it if I know I'm signing a death warrant. Five, _Rookie_." For an added effect, Jet waved his arms at the other agent.

At this, the Director held their chin in thought.**_"Too bad, only if I know they can handle it, too bad, I'll tell you once you agree, and too bad."_**They clapped their hands together. **_"Now that we all settled on an agreement — yes, Jet Pack Guy, you too — we can start our rather brief mission briefing. Heh..."_**

"Director?" Rookie raised his hand, the other fixing his sunglasses. "Forgive me for my rudeness, but that is not very funny. Well, no offence. You see, it is kinda funny but at the same time not funny and a bit weird but it's a good joke but I thought it's not a good joke and really weird if that's fine with you but it's probably not since—" Rookie cut himself off at Jet's glare. "... It's a bad joke."

The Director slumped in their seat. **_"... Yes, Rookie, I know."_**

Jet sighed once more. This was taking too long. "Sir, may we start our mission briefing? I have things to do."

**_"Okay, Jet Pack Guy."_**The Director's tone turned serious. **_"Everyone — and that includes you, Rookie — look at the centre of the table."_**Just as the Director said it, a hologram flickered to life in front of them. It was blue and slightly static, but nonetheless the image was clear to Jet and Rookie.

They stared at it for a few minutes.

"A briefcase? Seriously?" Jet deadpanned.

The Director raised their hands in defence. **_"I didn't know... Well, okay I did. Let's just move on before you judge me."_**

"Too late," Jet murmured. He repositioned himself into a more comfortable posture, hoping that the mission wouldn't be dreadful.

The Director gestured to the hologram. **_"This briefcase is going to be used for an upcoming play. Most people thought it is just an unnecessarily heavy prop, but actually it has something of great value."_** The holographic briefcase opened, revealing a small object. Its colour could not be identified, but it was easy to recognise.

Rookie spoke up before Jet could. "Isn't that the ruby from that Ruby play? Er... _Ruby and the Ruby_?"

_Wow,_Jet mused to himself, _Trouble Magnet knew something._

**_"Close, but not quite."_** The Director leaned in closer, silently asking for their full attention. **_"The prop is usually fake, but this time they want to use a real ruby. Rumours are flying around that someone is planning to steal the ruby for their own gain, so we need to send undercover agents to stop the thief before it's too late. That is where you two come in."_**

"Us?" Rookie pointed at himself. "Why can't you send Dot? She's the stealth lead, right?"

The red agent nodded. "I, for once, agree with Rookie. Why us?"

**_"Because,"_** the Director started,**_"I already assigned Dot to another mission. She will be here to teach you the basics of stealth, but you'll work on this mission by yourselves and without a jetpack."_**

"By ourselves?" "Without a jetpack?" Rookie and Jet echoed at the same time.

**_"Well, the chance of getting help from other agents is slim and barely anyone wears a jetpack these days, so yes and yes. Do you want to start this mission?"_**

Jet looked at the screen, trying to look at them square in the eyes. "How much worth does this ruby have?" he questioned, tugging on his jetpack strap.

The silhouette seemed to grin. **_"Your igloo, this HQ and your paycheque combined. Good luck, agents. You can find Dot at the Lighthouse."_** With that, the screen switched off.

Three whole minutes passed before they did anything. "Um... Should we go right now, JPG?" said Rookie, standing up.

"I told you, it's Jet Pack Guy," growled Jet, following the suit. "But yeah. Let's head to the Lighthouse." He was about to go, however Rookie stopped him. "What is it this time, Rookie?" Jet sighed.

"Um... Can we walk there, instead of flying or teleporting?" asked Rookie. His expression was akin to a child wanting more puffles.

Jet Pack Guy stared at him incredulously. _No,_he wanted to say. _The Director said that I'm not allowed to use my jetpack during this duo mission with you, of all people, and I want to spend what little time I have left flying with my precious jetpack. Why would I waste my time walking when I can do fifty loop-de-loops in mid-air during the time you take to get there? Besides, I'm zoning out a lot lately and I need a little bit of time alone so I can pull myself back together. I am a hundred and fifty percent sure that the problem is you, so spending more time together is definitely not going to help me one b—_

"Jet Pack Guy?" Jet blinked. Usually he would be surprised that Rookie knew his full name, but this situation was completely different. "You're staring at me for a whole minute and it's scaring me."

_Whoops, I didn't mean to stare at you... It just happened...?_ Jet shook his head, clearing his weird thoughts. "I was thinking... But fine, I'll walk with you." Wait, Jet was meant to decline Rookie's offer. What was wrong with him, lately?

A smile, full of sweet rainbows and sunshine that nearly gave Jet diabetes, stretched itself across Rookie's face. "Yay! Let's go!" Before Jet could change his choice, Rookie grabbed his arm and led them out of the Headquarters — not before greeting some agents working undercover at the Everyday Phoning Facility, though.

Jet pulled his arm out of the green agent's grip. "Remember that you have to disguise yourself," Jet grumbled, remembering the times Rookie was swarmed by fans. Usually he would just fly or teleport without meeting any penguins, but Jet had already sealed his fate. He unwillingly stored his beloved jetpack away, which was unfortunately an iconic possession of his.

"Here!" A pair of ridiculous glasses were shoved in Jet's view. Rookie, wearing an identical pair, had a dopey grin on his face. "Now you look less like yourself!"

Jet turned away in order to hide an extremely unprofessional smile. Rookie looked absolutely stupid. "No, Rookie. I don't need that." He was not going outside wearing that — he needed to protect this special thing called dignity. It was one of his prized possessions. Alas, after many pleas and effective puppy-eyes, Jet eventually gave in and wore the stupid glasses — "You look great, JPG!" the green agent said. He sulkily followed a cheerful Rookie outside, wondering why the world hated him.

It was lightly snowing, yet there were so many clouds in the sky. It was strange, considering yesterday's unbearably hot weather. Deep, obvious footprints trailed the two as they walked to the Beach. Every time Jet stepped forward, his foot would sink into the deep snow with a crunch. At first he didn't mind, however soon he came to dislike it. Rookie, on the other hand, didn't think about it at all. He would skip like a little child, kicking fresh snow around as if he never saw snow before. Even so, his warm hand was still latched onto Jet's arm as Rookie pulled him alo—

"We're here!" Rookie announced, pulling Jet away from his dangerous thoughts. The latter blinked, getting himself together and looking away from Trouble Magnet. Wow, that was quick. "There's the Lighthouse! C'mon JPG, let's get inside!" Before Jet could comment about the proper use of his name, Rookie dragged him in.

The first thing he saw was white, blinding light. Then, Jet realised that it was merely a stage-light trying its best to burn his eyes off. _Jokes on you,_he thought to the inanimate object. _I am wearing ridiculous-looking sunglasses._

As if reading his mind, Rookie asked, "Can you move that light away, please? I think it's out to kill my eyes."

Jet rolled his eyes and walked up to the stage, muttering, "No it's not. Besides, you're wearing sunglasses." He switched the light off with a click, instantly spotting a strange note taped to it.

"Where's Dot? The Director said she'll be here..." Rookie looked around the room worriedly, fearing that he screwed up another mission. He even started to look behind paintings, ropes and barrels — "You'll never know with the Disguise Gal," he once said.

Jet merely scoffed, ripping the note off with a loud crackle. It caught the attention of Rookie, who was currently about to head upstairs. "What's that?" asked Rookie, almost tripping to get back downstairs. Instead, he tripped on the flat floor, leaving the red agent to catch him and pull him back up.

Jet sighed, ignoring the tingling feeling in his hands. "It's a pineapple, duh," he answered, holding up the piece of paper. The look on Rookie's face, however, made him change his answer. "Okay, fine. It's a note."

"Really?" Rookie leaned closer to inspect it. A series of familiar symbols of lines, dots and crosses were scrawled onto its surface. "What does it say?"

"You're asking too many questions," said Jet, rolling his eyes. "It says, 'Hello, Rookie and Jet Pack Guy. Right now, the room is full of too many people. I left for the Stage so we can meet up privately for your mission. From, Dot. P.S. I prefer smoothies over coffee.'"

Rookie's eyes widened. "You can read that?" he exclaimed. It almost blew his mind that someone could read what seemed to be gibberish. "But there's a thousand miniature pictures on it! ... And what does Dot mean by the tea and coffee?"

He got a shrug in reply. "I take my work seriously," Jet explained nonchalantly, walking out the Lighthouse. He avoided the last comment, not knowing the answer as well. "So, are you coming or what?" Ignoring Rookie's shouts to slow down, he went on to the Plaza with the other in tow. The thought of flying there never crossed his mind.

=====[Skip]=====

"Director, sir! Are you sure you want to—?"

"Yes! We need to make a revolution!" said a person, wearing a brown hat.

"Are you sure...? Most people don't like change here..." His assistant, sporting a yellow wig and large sunglasses, shook her head at this.

The director sighed. "Who cares about that? To get to the future, we must march through changes and differences. Trends come and go. Things will evolve. And because of that, people will have to change with them... Also, the plays are dreadfully short and boring. I mean, five scenes? That is _absurde_!"

"Nice speech." A person, dressed in a blue suit, rolled his eyes.

"Indeed, so." The director smiled, not noticing his sarcasm. "But let's get straight to the point; where are my actors? We need our main character!"

"You mean the detective?" another person asked. She wore a red, sparkling dress and a pearl necklace. Her hair was dyed blonde, but her original peach hair colour was showing through the roots.

"_Oui_, Ruby. We need our Jacques Hammer!"

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "My name isn't Ruby. It's—"

"Yada, yada! I can't hear you!" The director slapped his hands over his ears. "I told you already. It's best if you get in character all the time! We don't need you to suddenly call Tenor and Dom by their real names." Assured that no one would reveal their name, the director let his arms fall.

The assistant sighed. "Sir, please stop throwing a tantrum. You're embarrassing yourself."

"Tantrums can't be thrown," he said matter-of-factly. This earned many simultaneous face-palms around the room. Blissfully ignoring that, he surveyed everyone while appearing deep in thought. "What we need," he began, "is a miracle." Everyone backed away. This scenario happened too often during the last few days, so they knew exactly what would happen. "What we need is someone who can fulfil a role like no other actor. Though not actress, mind you, because we already have them. That is beside the point. We need people who are naturals! Someone who not only looks like Jacques Hammer and everyone else we're missing, but also acts like Jacques Hammer and everyone we're missing. They also must be new and refreshing, not boring and predictable. They must be perfect for our _Ruby and the Ruby_ remake!"

Silence enveloped the room.

Then the door opened, revealing a person in a red floral shirt. "Hello!" he grinned, taking off his strange glasses. "Is this the Stage?"

A loud, unmanly scream came from the director. "You!" he squealed, immediately running up to Rookie and pulling him into a surprise hug. "You are perfect! A hundred and ten percent perfect! _Magnifique_! You should be Jacques Hammer!

"Woah." Rookie tried to push him off; the director was on the verge of choking him. "I didn't know you speak Spanish. And what?"

"Oh, I don't," the director admitted. "But I believe that French — not Spanish, you silly boy — is a beautiful language, so I'm planning to take courses at the School. _Magnifique_ means 'magnificant', if the internet is correct." He took a step back and allowed Rookie to breathe. As an afterthought, the director added, "My assistant will explain the rest to you."

The door opened once more. Jet peeked inside with his glasses gone — he couldn't take it anymore and threw it away. "Okay, what did you do?" Jet asked, making sure that he avoided using Rookie's name. One slip of the tongue could lead to everyone swarming the poor mascot.

"I did nothing, Jet!" Rookie defended himself. With an impulse to correct the error, the red agent cursed Rookie's tendency to use his name in public. If there was one thing Trouble Magnet was definitely terrible at, it was keeping secrets.

The director only stared with disbelief. "_Mon dieu_. Today is so _stupéfiant_..." A smile stretched across his face. "You two are absolutely _parfait_! I have a sudden burst of inspiration! Why don't you two join this project and become part of the cast? It will be amazing and beneficial! You two will be stars! I can see it now — the crowd looking in awe as a classic play is transformed into a refreshing show! You two fit some roles that I need, so it must be fate! And best of all, both of you two look natural! Ah, I'm starting to cry. I feel so happy, I think I might—"

Before he could rant any more, his assistant stopped him. "Sir, please stop. You're scaring the two." The assistant was right; Rookie and Jet were extremely weirded out. She apologised for the director's behaviour and added, "He acts like that a lot. You know, people with big dreams tend to zone out often. All they think about is their success and happiness... But this time, the director is really working hard to achieve his dream. So come with me to someplace private; we can discuss your decision there. Follow me backstage." Before she left, though, she turned around. "Hey, can I get a smoothie from the Coffee Shop later today? Any flavour is fine."

"Sorry," Ruby replied. "Last time I checked, they only have coffee. Is that okay?"

"No, I've been telling you all day." The assistant shook her head. "I prefer smoothies over coffee." As she beckoned Rookie and Jet to follow, the latter's suspicions arose. Jet decided to keep quiet; after all, what was the point of making false accusations?

The assistant lead them to a secluded spot backstage, illuminated by a single stage-light. A couch and arm chair were positioned around a circular table; the assistant sat on the chair, while Jet and Rookie took the couch. She crossed her legs and leaned forward, waiting for one of them to speak first. Jet got the message, but why would he go first? The assistant was the one who wanted to speak with them.

Instead, Rookie broke the silence. "Are you Dot?"

Jet looked at him with shock. "Huh?" Was Trouble Magnet actually perspective and, at the same time, stupid enough to let it slip? What if she wasn't Dot? Dot was more of the type to disguise herself as a barrel than a person.

"Hm?" The assistant looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I think it's kind of obvious," Rookie admitted. "You said that you prefer smoothies over coffee... Isn't that what you wrote earlier?"

"Beg your pardon?" To Jet, she spoke as though she wanted to egg them on and hear more. The assistant repositioned her sunglasses, trying to get into a more comfortable posture.

"Dot." Rookie smiled earnestly. "I know it's you, and you know it's me. You can drop the act for a moment."

She roughly shook her head. "No, I don't know what you mean." Because of Rookie, Jet actually found himself unconvinced. Her act was starting to get less believable by the moment; the assistant was visibly trying to hold her image together. "I don't know what you mean," she repeated. "Who's Dot?"

"You." A cheeky grin found itself on the green agent's face.

"I'll ask again... What do you mean?"

Jet could only watch the two debate. Rookie answered, "You're Dot! Don't you remember? Dot the Disguise Gal? Does that ring a bell, or did you get amnesia?"

"No!" the assistant growled. "I did not have amnesia, and I am not Dot! Who do you think you're talking to?"

If Rookie was feeling frustrated, he didn't show it. All Rookie did was remain suspiciously calm. "You, of course! Come on, Dot. It's okay. Don't be stubborn."

That did it. The assistant stood up, ready to yell at Rookie. Thousands of words ran through her mind, just itching to get past her mouth, but something stopped her from voicing them. The assistant's phone rang.

_Ring... Ring... Ring..._

She shot a look at Rookie, clearly meaning to convey, 'Just you wait; you're next' and took out her phone. "Hello?" she said sweetly.

_"Oh, is this you, Dot? I have something to tell you... You may be the stealth lead Disguise Gal, but you're terrible at acting. So drop it."_

The line went dead. The assistant glanced at her phone with a surprised expression. Soon her eyes were directed to a smiling Rookie; then they were on Jet, who promptly pocketed his spy phone. "Good," he said. "Now let's stop playing around and start our mission."

=====[End Chapter]=====

**If you want me to take your review seriously, mention what language Rookie mentioned. Okay? Okay.**

**This chapter is around 3650 words, so then I should make the rest approximately 3500 words. This is basically a death wish, but the things I do for my ship... So, what do you think of this story so far? Is it a bit over the top? The pace will be a bit slow, so those two idiots aren't going to start kissing by the next chapter. Which is a bit sad, but whatever. The journey makes everything fun.**

**Just to note, all characters here besides Dot, Rookie, Jet Pack Guy, the Director and et cetera are slightly made up. I won't claim Ruby and the Stage director as mine, because I based them on the real cast for _Ruby and the Ruby_. I picked _Ruby and the Ruby_ because I liked it better than the other plays.**

**In case anyone is wondering: _absurde_ means absurd, _oui_ is yes, _magnifique_ means magnificiant, _mon dieu_ is my god, _stupéfiant_ means amazing and _parfait_ is perfect. If I missed or got any wrong, please tell me!**

**When I read this and compare it to my (discontinued) first fanfic, I realised that I improved so much... I'll probably think the same about this in a few years, though. Life cycle.**

**Is anyone willing to be part of the Jet Pack Guy x Rookie crew? A captain needs their crew for the ship to sail smoothly, you know. Captain of the nameless Jet Pack Guy x Rookie Ship, out!**


	2. Act 2

**Hello, penguins.**

**I've decided to, for now, reply to comments via here. I don't understand how to reply here, since the system is obviously different from other websites. If you don't want your comment to be here, just mention it in your message and I'll omit it. But that doesn't mean I won't reply to it, though; I'll try to reply to most and only exclude a few I can't answer. For example, "UPDATE!11!1one!11!1" is something I prefer to avoid. The reason I'm putting your reviews up here is because whenever another author does it without showing what they're replying to, I get frustrated. That may be since I'm an extremely lazy person who cannot bother to check out the review section.**

**[START]**

Awakened Niwana:

Honestly...

I thought I was the only one to shipped them together. Imma so weird :P I'M WILLING TO BE PART OF THE JPGXROOKIE CREW o/ I'M NOT AN IDIOT I BLAME MY FAILED OTP SENSES!

Hm, Rookie mentioned the Spanish language? BTW, I read your first fanfiction... JPG a clean freak? I sense a Levi Ackerman inside of him xd (BTW levi is from "shingeki no kyojin" so if you wanna know what I'm talking about...)

Rookie may be dumb, but he's dumb with style B). - Did that make any sense? (mah brother at my side: no, and why are you reading a fic about gay penguins? me: for nothing! Get outta my room!) Sorry for the interruption. I'm awaiting for more :) By the way, I know it's an intimate (VERY intimate) question but... who is gonna be the uke?

((my brother's irrelevant comments: are there club penguin yaoi (anime boyxboy) fanfics already? Where on the entire galaxy is this world heading for the love of *censored*))

Nevermind him, he's an idiot. And he literally forced me to write his comment on my review. And, again, who's the uke? Oh goodness, I'm such an idiot. (*whispers* Rookie).

(THE COMMENT ABOVE IS VERY LONG AND LAMELY LAME, WITH COMMENTS FROM MY IDIOT BROTHER WHO HATES GAY PENGUINS AND YAOI XD, PLEASE DON'T MIND IT (AND HIM) AND IF YOU LIKE WEIRDNESS THEN YOU'LL LOVE READING IT, BYE).

Awakened Niwana off.

**Me:**

**Well, you're very wrong. Because you have me, these two other reviewers and some people shying away from the community! But if we work together, we can form one big family of Jet Pack Guy x Rookie shippers. Then we live happily ever after with fanfiction and functioning OTP senses. The end. (Hey, if you ship this then your senses are actually ninety-two percent better than most.)**

**Yeah, I know who 'Humanity's Strongest Soldier' is. That's actually why I tried to tone down Jet's cleanliness; we don't want a Heichou rip-off here. Also, that head-canon was old; I grew up a tad bit and decided that Jet doesn't need that particular trait amplified. Never fear, Jet still has a preference of tidiness. Oh, and for a future note, never read that embarrassing story of mine ever again... Please... You cool with that? Cool.**

**I am offended. Tell your brother that this story is about gay _humanised_ penguins, and that he needs some fanfiction class ASAP. Club Penguin already has a few yaoi/shounen ai shippers scattered around the internet, but sadly they don't stand out along with having tiny numbers. Last time I checked, the only BL story on this website was from 2011. From the looks of it, this world is heading towards tolerance of all ships. Which, in a way, is absolutely a good thing.**

**... If it's not Rookie, they would be extremely out of character. I mean, Rookie as seme? That's a bit absurd, even for me.**

**Thanks for your review! I found it funny, especially when your brother discovered this. At least the ship gained a crew member, so now we are a step closer to setting sail. However, before you become officially one of us, you have to answer one question: where were you when I was looking for shippers? I was all alone! That aside, I want to congratulate you on being the first penguin to review this story.**

FanfictionGurl1011:

I love you ever so much right now for posting this! Jet x Rookie is LIFE!

**Me:**

**Jet Pack Guy x Rookie is definitely life; nothing, besides the lack of canon material and the fact Club Penguin is for children, can make me think otherwise. Your mindset is functioning correctly, but the question is... are you willing to join my crew? Oh, and thanks!**

Auwdwee242:

Goku. The ship name is now Goku. Because if you mix "Guy" and "Rookie" enough times, that is what you will end up with. And this ship makes me go super saiyan.

**Me:**

**Is that a Dragon Ball reference...?**

**I'll take your idea into consideration. It's interesting, but chances are if we actually use that it'll appear whenever someone searches 'Goku'. We want to leave the DB fandom in peace, you know? They don't need to see penguins taking over their fandom, as hilarious that would be. Thank you for your review!**

**[FINISH]**

**If I somehow hurt your feelings, then I deeply apologise. Every Jet Pack Guy x Rookie shipper is a dear friend, okay? We are all part of an unfortunately small family. Besides that, you probably want another chapter by now. Here it is as an apology and thanks; I'm aiming for longer chapters. Yippee.**

=====[Begin Chapter]=====

Her silence was thicker than the Iceberg. The assistant stared down at Jet and Rookie with an unreadable expression, as if analysing them from the bottom up. A few minutes passed, and the two agents knew as each second agonisingly went by. Did they mess up? Was it alright to reveal themselves to her? What if, to their horror, they were actually wrong about all of this? What if this was a huge mistake? What if they failed as agents? The questions were slowly driving Rookie and Jet insane, although they hid it behind their nonchalant expressions. But finally, to their great relief, the assistant spoke up. "... Fine. I admit it." She plopped down onto the arm chair. "You're right. I'm Dot the Disguise Gal, and I am ironically a very bad actress. So much for the stealth lead..."

That very sentence freed the other agents from their constricting thoughts. "I knew it!" Rookie exclaimed, jumping up.

Jet almost laughed, but caught himself before he actually did. "Sit down, Rookie," he groaned. Jet berated himself for nearly slipping up again. At this rate, he would... he would... What would he do? Thankfully Rookie sat down before Jet's thoughts continued, but the green agent's smile was still present. Now Jet was positively sure that Rookie radiated pure sunshine and happiness on a daily basis. Sometimes he would be morose, but it only happened whenever he made mistakes. Even then, Rookie would quickly cheer up within an hour and revert to his happy-go-lucky attitude. Honestly, Jet wondered how such a ditzy person was blessed with—

"Okay, you two." Dot's voice broke through Jet's wandering thoughts. "I guess it's time to start teaching you guys stealth." Her tone suggested that she was upset with the turn of events, but whether because she was found out or something else was unknown. Somehow, a little voice in his head told Jet that the latter was his answer. He wasn't sure if he should believe it, so for now Jet decided to remain quiet. From previous incidents, Jet learnt that instincts were not always correct.

"Dot?" Rookie raised his hand, much like a student in class. In fact, Jet could picture that easily; he would be the clumsy class clown who had no idea that one of his classmates had— Rookie's voice registered in his ears. "I was wondering, why didn't you—"

Dot stiffened. "No," she snapped. "Please don't ask any questions. Please, j-just don't."

At her sudden outburst, the atmosphere instantly reverted to an awkward tension. Who knew what Dot and Rookie were thinking, but Jet's thoughts were crystal clear. They echoed in his mind like a continuous mantra, unnerving the red agent to a high extent. _...Where was I going with that thought? _Without a doubt, Jet was terribly confused. Even more so when his face started to feel warm. _Am I sick? I feel a bit warm... I should go to a doctor. But then, if I do, then I might be forced to leave the mission, and I can't leave Trouble Magnet alone. But why should I worry? Dot's here— wait, the Director specified we will only have her for stealth training._

Shaking his head, Jet willed away his thoughts. Clearing his throat, the red agent decided to salvage the conversation. Or at least, whatever was left of it. "Where were we, again?" For what it's worth, Jet hoped that this minor dispute wouldn't tear apart their friendship. Their group was the only one he had.

Dot sighed, sitting back in her seat. "I'm sorry," she murmured. The other agents had to strain their ears, because Dot spoke too quietly. "I'm really, really sorry. It's just that I... I am... It's that... I mean... You won't understand." Rookie sent her a few glances, silently saying he forgave Dot and that he would understand. With this assurance, Dot managed to summon enough courage to explain. "It's just... I was always the Disguise Gal, you know? The stealth lead, that one person who can change herself if she wanted to. I was the best at spying; not with cameras or at a safe distance away, but I could be right there, in plain sight, and they would never notice me. That is a skill I prided myself on, and I have every reason to do s-so." Dot took in a shaky breath. "Ah... T-then the Director — our leader, not the one you just met — explained my task to me. First, I-I will have to..." She cut herself off. Tears began to run down her face, black with running mascara. "... I'll h-have to teach you to be better stealth agents, then I'll go o-on my own solo mission. I know it's selfish a-and all, but I-I..." She broke, bursting into uncontrollable tears. "Y-you two don't understand!"

"You're scared that we might become better than you. Because of that, you held back from revealing yourself to us," Jet interpreted. His tone was completely nonchalant; honestly, the red agent wasn't the best at consoling people. Jet wouldn't even tell someone to suck it up and take it like a man. That was why he often stayed away from crying victims; only rarely would Jet try to help them, and it would take a lot of trust on _his_ side. He was less of a people-person than Gary, and _that_ was saying something.

Rookie, however, was at the opposite side of the spectrum. Emotional people naturally drew Rookie in, leading him to listen to their problems while offering advice here and there. The green agent was optimistic in virtually every situation; in some cases, his positivity permanently rubbed off on them. Rookie demonstrated the same sympathy and optimism again, this time for Dot. "Hey," he said with a comforting smile. "Please don't worry, Dot. You're the best at these kind of things; no one will ever beat stealth lead Dot the Disguise Gal at her own game. You have nothing to worry about."

_Stroking her ego, much?_ Jet thought before realising, _Wait, how in the world did I become so perceptive of Rookie? _Pushing his rather uncomfortable thoughts away, Jet spoke up once more. "Believe it or not, Rookie is actually right. We'll never be as good as you are, Dot." That was the truth; Jet was the realist, also bordering pessimist, out of their squad. Dot, Rookie and Gary were respectively the pessimist, optimist and realist, however that was besides the point.

"I-I'm a selfish person!" wailed Dot. "I'm too selfish to help my f-friends! I don't deserve to be part of t-the Elite Penguin Force! I j-just can't afford to lose my status to someone. I know that you two can't be as good as me, no offence... I-I'm... I-it's the only skill I have... Without that, then I'm useless... And I'm already s-so useless now! I don't w-want to be m-more useless!"

Rookie shook his head. "Dot." His tone was serious, surprising the other agents and gaining their attention. A silly, happy-go-lucky Rookie was the norm, not a stern Rookie. It was too bizarre, yet they chose to keep quiet; this type of occurrence happened only once in a blue moon. "You're not useless," said Rookie. "You are the best Disguise Gal around. That is why _you_ are the stealth lead — not somebody else. You were part of the EPF before JPG—"

"Jet Pack Guy."

"—and I were. You were there longer than us, and you are still here today. How many years was that? How many years were you the best of the stealth agents? Well I can't remember, but I know that you will always be the number one Disguise Gal. Okay?"

The edge of Dot's mouth twitched. "Thanks f-for understanding, R-Rookie," she stuttered. She wiped away her tears, unconsciously smearing mascara around her face. In most situations, Jet would probably laugh at this. He briefly heard the sound of stifled laughter beside him.

_Gee, you're welcome for the thanks,_ Jet thought, disgruntled. _It's nice knowing that I'm an important part of this 'Cheer Up Dot' team._

"No problem." Rookie offered one last smile, as if he hadn't been radiating enough happiness for the last ten hours. Sitting close to Rookie, Jet could legitimately _feel_ that radiation.

Sniffling every now and then, Dot wore a grateful look. "Okay... I-I'll try to teach you..."

Jet sighed. "Dot, you don't have to pass everything you know onto us. You can just tell us the necessary things that will aid us on our mission to protect the priceless ruby."

"Oh. You're right," said Dot. Thinking carefully, she took a deep breath in and closed her eyes. Many ideas passed through her mind, although the purple agent only focused on a single plan. The other two held their breaths, hoping she wouldn't cry again.

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When Dot opened her eyes, they had a spark of courage and inspiration; just like always. "I got it. Thanks for helping me, guys. I know exactly what you should do. And from what I gathered so far, for this particular mission you don't need too much stealth." When questioned why, Dot continued happily, "That's because you need to be in plain sight. From what Jet Pack Guy said, you guys have to protect a ruby. That's probably going to be used in the play very soon. If I'm right, then you have to be as close as possible; you'll have to be right in the spotlight. Don't get me wrong, I'll teach you a few tips of stealth, but what you need is _disguise_. See what I mean?" With they way her eyes sparkled with ideas, Jet and Rookie both knew that good ol' Dot was back in action. "Here's what you have to do..."

=====[Skip]=====

"So," the director smiled. The meeting took quite some time, but if his assistant did her job right then the crucial roles would be filled. "Did you make your decision?"

Jet and Rookie stared at each other in silent agreement. "I don't know..." Jet mumbled. "I'm not good act acting, and neither is _he_." He placed an excessive amount of emphasis on 'he', meaning Rookie.

"It's true..." Rookie mumbled. "I'm a bit see-through... I'm worse at acting than D—"

"Nonsense!" A large smile etched itself on the director's face. "I think that with enough practice, you can get better at acting. You won't if you don't try, at least that's what I say. So what do you think? Will you join our _Ruby and the Ruby_ cast?" His eyes were full of hope, just waiting to be crushed by a single syllable.

"Okay," "No," Rookie and Jet answered simultaneously. Three syllables; not bad.

"Thank you so much, Jacques!" The director pulled the green agent into a hug. He was slightly disappointed at Jet's offer, but he had a feeling that Jet will agree later. After all, his destined role was necessary to the plot. "You are so _stupéfiant_!"

"But... I'm not Jacques. I'm R—" Rookie was instantly cut off by the director.

"Oh, right! You're new here." The director released him, allowing Rookie to breathe. After all, unconscious people could not act as conscious people. "Here, we only call each other by our role names so we won't mess up on stage. _Mon dieu_, it will be a total disaster." He shuddered, thinking of the consequences. He would be absolutely ruined if _Ruby and the Ruby_ turned out to be a disappointment.

"Really? But you know Jet's name..." Rookie pointed out once he got his breath. _Wow, _the green agent thought. _He is really strong..._

"Meh." To everyone's surprise, the director didn't seem to care. Noticing this, he started to explain; after all, he had a reputation to uphold. "You see, we already have everyone from the original cast; beautiful Ruby, clever Jacques Hammer, mysterious Tenor and Dom the gentleman. The other characters are all made up, since they never existed before. Because of that, people don't really know the other characters. This is a really good thing if you suddenly call a fill-in by their real name; it won't become a disaster! That is unless they were already called by a different name... But I believe in improvisation so everyone else will just have to play along. You see how effective this system, improvising, is?" A strange look passed over his face. "Besides, the character I have in mind doesn't have a name, but 'Jet' fits him well..." The director laughed quietly, creeping Jet out. Oh, he did not want to be part of the play anymore.

"Well, I don't really want to-" Jet said, but he was cut off by a loud sigh. Why was everyone either ignoring or interrupting him these days? What did Jet ever do to deserve this treatment?

"But... But... We have the suits and everything!" the director wailed.

At the confused glances, Dot decided to make herself known and whispered, "The director ordered two authentic suits, specially tailored, for a fill-in character. One is for emergencies, though. The character was supposed to be Ruby's butler who assists Jacques Hammer throughout the investigation. Apparently he is supposed to be smart, clever, polite, loyal, strong-willed, generous, talented, organised and handsome..."

"You forgot 'an absolute romantic'!" someone called out.

"Oh, right! That too. He sounds exactly like a teenage girl's dream guy, and can easily pass off as one in a heartbeat. Although, near the end..." Dot giggled but carried on with a sly tone, "... the butler..." Jet held his breath. "... becomes..." The red agent desperately hoped it wouldn't be too scarring. "Jacques's..." Does Dot always drag things out agonisingly slow or was it just his impatience?

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Wait, **what**?!

Dot clapped her hands together. "Lastly, the play ends with a passionate kiss between the two and they live happily ever after. _Ooh la la~_."

The shocked expressions Jet and Rookie's wore made Dot burst into laughter. Fortunately, no one noticed Jet's face slowly turn red. He could even feel the heat rush to his ears and cheeks in a frenzy; all he could think, as Dot slowly calmed down, was, _No. No way. I am not playing that role under any circumstances. Haha. No. Please don't make me play that. Me, as a butler? And Rookie's, no wait, Jaques' love interest? Hahahaha... No. You can't make me. A kiss? With him? There are some things I'm not willing to do and playing as a butler is definitely on that list. I have a reputation to uphold and I plan to keep it as it is. Passionately kissing Rookie? **Mouth** to **mouth**? He is— I don't— You are— It's just— I am— Okay, that scenario is too utterly mortifying to even think about._

"JPG?" Rookie looked at him curiously, with all of his shock gone. "Are you okay? You look sick and you're zoning out a lot." He leaned forward to check Jet's temperature, but the latter swatted his hand away.

"I'm not sick," Jet said, attempting to talk naturally. _Too much contact, too much contact, too much contact... _"I'm not going to the doctor and I'm not dropping out of this." If a doctor realised the true reason behind Jet's sudden temperature... Oh no.

Dot gave him a flabbergasted look. "No comment about your name? Jet Pack Guy, you must be _very_ sick!" Jet never missed an opportunity to correct someone when they messed up his name. It must have been the end of the world. The sky would fall... The island would sink... Polar bears would take over... Well, either that or Jet was simply ill. But knowing the red agent's clean habits, Dot mused, the former was far more likely.

"I'm not sick!" Jet retorted. His composure was breaking down, little by little. _Pull yourself together, Jet Pack Guy! You are an EPF agent; act like one! _"I'm... just... embarrassed, that's all." _Yeah,_ he thought, _I'm just embarrassed because I imagined myself kissing Rookie. Me... kissing Rookie... passionately... Hold on, **stop**._

"Okay." Dot nodded, as if she understood Jet completely. In actuality, she didn't have a clue. He always wore the same serious expression around her. "You're only a little embarrassed since you think swapping saliva with Rookie is appealing," she teased.

Although no one realised, Jet's face traitorously turned fifty shades redder. "What? What do you mean...? You know what?" he mumbled, turning away to hide his evident blush. "I'm not doing this. You can count me out; I'll just be moral support."

"Nah," Dot said, nudging his shoulder. "You know I'm just kidding." She sent Jet a look, hoping to convey, 'Either way, you _have_ to be here. The mission, remember?'. Alas, Jet probably couldn't read her mind. That was a shame, however it was also a very good thing for personal reasons. "R— Jacques needs your support." What Dot said was true; most of the time, Rookie would seek Jet's encouragement whenever he attempted a difficult task. Unfortunately Jet didn't realise this and ignored the purple agent's comment.

The director sighed noisily, drawing everyone's attention back to himself. Lacing every syllable with as much sorrow as possible, he asked, "So I take it that you're not going to play the butler?" Earning a look of confirmation, the director mumbled something that suspiciously sounded like, "It will be a waste if you don't contribute to this play remake..." That was when an imaginary light-bulb went off above his head. "Hey, Jet? You and Jacques close friends, no? I have a proposition just for you."

Dot spoke up before Jet could. It was obvious that she was more interested in the invitation than he would ever be. "They are really close friends. What do you have in in mind?"

"Oh, it's nothing too hard." The director shook his head, waving away an invisible force. "You mentioned that you'll stay for moral support right?" He pointed to Rookie. "By the way Jaques spoke about himself earlier, he seems to have very low self esteem. Since you're friends, why don't you be his assistant? Seems very fitting, no?"

"Assistant?" Jet echoed. He turned to Rookie for his opinion; after all, he was also part of the proposition.

Rookie shrugged his shoulders, unable to think of anything that might oppose the offer. "I don't really mind," he admitted. "I think that, with your support, I might be a bit better at this whole acting thing. I never acted before and I am terrible at lying. Maybe it'll be nice to practise my lines with someone I'm more comfortable with... But this decision should be up to Jet, though. If Jet is uncomfortable, then by all means he shouldn't do it."

Dot nodded. "You're so sweet and considerate, Rookie. So, it is all up to Jet—"

"Pack Guy," said person snapped, earning an all-knowing look from Dot.

"Yes, yes, we know. Anyway, it's all up to him. What do you say?"

Jet rubbed his neck. For some reason, it was sweaty and his throat was dry. The reason, however, was outside his knowledge. "I don't really know..." _Me? Assisting Rookie?_ he thought in surprise. _Trying to train that Trouble Magnet was already hard enough, thank you very much. I don't need to baby him any more than I already do. _With his mind set on an answer, Jet opened his mouth.

Only to close it when Rookie grabbed his hand and whispered, "Please, Jet Pack Guy...? I can't do this alone."

Jet gave him a long stare.

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Jet's new response came out before he could think properly. "Fine. For Rookie." Less than a second passed; Jet's eyes widened and he struggled to clarify what he said. The only thing that stopped Jet, unfortunately, was Trouble Magnet pulling him into a tight hug.

"Thank you!" The director pulled Rookie away and hugged Jet as well. Letting go so the red agent wouldn't choke to death, he gestured to Dot. "Assistant? Can you go and introduce these two gentlemen to the main cast? Everyone else left early in preparation for tomorrow."

She glared at him in response. "I have a name, you know... sir."

The director shrugged. "We all do," he said. "I just find it unfair for everyone else to go with stage names all the time, so we have to go through that too." The director thought for a moment, then remembered something important. "Wait, before you go, Jet...!" He darted to the side, where a grey desk stood. Piles of colourful paper were stacked on it, easily towering over the director and standing out against the monochrome set. Jet recognised it as the reception desk during Dom's part of the play. The director shoved a few papers, which were conveniently stapled together, in Jet's face. "Take this," he said. "By the way, I don't take 'no' for an answer."

Jet took one, good look at the title. His expression was unclear, but everyone knew he would eventually sigh and just— "Never in my entire life."

"What!?" The director nearly fell over from shock.

"Never in my entire life," Jet repeated. "Technically I didn't say 'no', so you can't object me." With that, he tossed the papers away. Due to gravity and physics, however, it only managed to drift a small distance from him.

Rookie was close enough to grab it. It flew right into his hands, as if it was pure destiny and no other force. His curiosity urged him to read the title, so without delay Rookie gave in and did so. "'Butler's Script: version five'... Oh, so this is supposed to be Jet's?" Rookie made a mental note to read more later. It would be quite embarrassing if he was caught engrossed with Jet's script... Not that he was or anything.

"Supposed to be," the director murmured. His face was pulled into a grumpy pout.

"Yeah, but it's not going to be," said Jet, crossing his arms.

The director sent a fleeting look to Dot. She smiled and turned to Jet, knowing what her temporary boss wanted. He was easy to read. "Hey, Jet Pack Guy. Don't you remember what the director went through for that role?" Jet shook his head. With that, she continued, "I said earlier that he ordered two suits. They were both authentically tailored by a specialist, so do you know what that means?"

Jet raised an eyebrow. "That there is no other like it?" That was nothing special. Jet could name many people who owned unique clothing off the top of his head. Besides, what use did such things have? For looks? Jet wasn't worried about his appearance... Okay, that was a lie. He just didn't need flashy clothes.

"It means that the suits took up half of my life savings!" the director wailed, collapsing on his knees. "Do you know how much I slave away at mini-games? My puffles can't help me; they are too lazy. And because I am a normal non-member, I can only own two puffles! It took me so much time to earn enough coins that I don't have time for myself to relax at all! It's all for my dreams of improving Club Penguin. That butler role is the most crucial part of my well-deserved happiness and success!" Jet could only stare as the director fell into hysteria. Maybe rejecting the offer was a bad idea... "_Je suis désolé_... I am so sorry that I have a thing for butlers and forbidden romances, but if more people are exposed to mistakes and flaws then they'll be more accepting! This is not only for me; this is for the future of Club Penguin! I—"

"Alright!" Jet snapped. "I'll learn the lines and maybe act it out privately, but _not_ in public! Just... Just... Just stop doing that." He rubbed his arm uncomfortably, hoping he hadn't launched head-first into a dangerous situation. He roughly shook his head, ridding the forbidden scenarios that slowly filtered through his mind. _Stop thinking about Rookie,_ he berated himself. _Why are you thinking of him like **that**?_

Ten seconds later, Jet Pack Guy was engulfed in a suffocating hug.

=====[End Chapter]=====

**_Je suis désolé_ means I'm sorry, but for only males I guess. Tell me if this is incorrect. Ah, surfing the internet for French words is annoying because I don't know any. Also, I am lazy. That might be why the director didn't say much, but for now I'll blame it on memory loss.**

**I wanted to write more, but I only managed around 4,000 words. Geez, it's too short. It will be a long time before I bothered to get up to 10,000 words, though. I rushed because I'm just worried for my three readers, that's all. Sorry if there's no build-up, yet. I'm new to all of this.**

**I'm surprised no one is writing any Jet Pack Guy x Rookie fanfction, yet. I'll guarantee that I'll read it! I'm running low on material... Actually, I didn't have any to start with. So... Pretty please?**

**Some people didn't mention the clue last time, but for now I'll take your reviews seriously. If you want me to take your review seriously this time, finish this sentence: 'Dot the Disguise Gal is ironically a very bad _.' It's not that hard, so go give it a try.**

**So are we gaining any crew members? I think that all of us so far can fit a rowboat. Sweet... I guess...**

**Captain of the nameless Jet Pack Guy x Rookie Ship, out!**


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